Do you know that majority of business owners in the world make use of Alipay as their point of sale? Alipay is not just dominant in China, it is widely used in many developed countries and other local regions. It combines different financial tools to provide a uniform view of transactions. Alipay wants to make it possible for anyone visiting or staying in a new country to use their own country’s mobile apps to make transactions in the country they are in. Are you aware that Alipay is forming partnerships with merchants all over the universe merging them to its platform?
It partners and cooperates with local banks and other financial institutions to achieve common goals; which expands Alipay’s global coverage. It supports instant international fund transactions regardless of your location. Alipay platform enables tourists to make payments using their preferred and convenient method thereby letting them to shop with ease and pleasure while exploring new destinations.
Alipay has been described to be China’s super-app with a wide range of functionalities including ridesharing, travel booking and medical appointments. However, be before you start using the platform, it is best that you check out the Alipay supported countries to avoid wasting your time and effort. In this article, we are going to reveal what Alipay is, all the Alipay available countries and also the best alternatives, in case you country is restricted.
What is Alipay?
Alipay is an all-purpose platform that allows users to enjoy a convenient day-to-day payment experience. It could be investing in stocks or funding an investment, ordering of food through Alipay, booking and paying for transportation fare, tracking expenses, income and savings expenditure, payment of all kinds of bills and lots more.
Alipay is a must have for customers who buy or import goods from China. Alipay is an advanced top mobile platform that allows users to make payments for various products and services, such as bank transfers, online and in-store purchases, payment of bills through QR scan, mobile device transfer, international transactions and investment options. You can link your bank account to Alipay’s platform. Similar to Goggle Pay and Samsung Pay which are in high demand and widely accepted in the United States, Alipay is also popular in China. Through Alipay’s platform you can convert your money into any currency.
There is currency conversion fee when making an international transaction except if the transaction is in Chinese yuan, then no fee is required because Chinese yuan is the primary currency for Alipay. It is important to understand the exchange rate fees that is attached to any transaction you’re making. Sometimes, exchange rate fees varies or you could be charged based on the percentage of the transaction.
Before you can make an international transaction, a Chinese ID is a needed. If you don’t have, you may ask a Chinese friend to help you out or you can seek for other alternative that is available for non-citizens.
What is the Alipay’s Payment Process?
With Alipay you can choose your preferred payment options as it suits you. For online payments, choose Alipay as your payment option. With the app already downloaded in your phone, login and activate the payment option and process. When you want to make payment, type in the required amount and other information, go through the payment details and complete the transaction. Make sure the online store accepts Alipay payment before making any transaction.
To make purchases in a physical store, two major methods of payment is available. Decide and choose which one to use. The first payment method is the use of linked bank card through Alipay. Follow through the same process of activating the app in your phone.
Look for Alipay payment terminal, scan the merchant’s QR code with your mobile device; input the amount and finalize the transaction. QR codes are commonly seen displayed near cash register or on dining tables. In the second option, the merchant scans your QR code for payment; it is faster and functions well even in limited internet connection.
Countries Where Alipay is Supported
Supported Countries and Regions
Organized by continent/region for clarity:
| Continent/Region | Countries/Regions |
|---|---|
| Asia | Bangladesh, Cambodia, China (mainland), Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Kazakhstan, Macao SAR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam |
| Australasia/Oceania | Australia, New Zealand |
| Europe | Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom |
| Middle East | United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey (transcontinental) |
| North America | Canada, United States |
| South America | Brazil |
Alipay is available to use in a wide range of countries.
For the European residents like: UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Ireland and Portugal. Alipay platform is at your service. Take advantage of this great app that has transformed people’s businesses and go with the flow. With Alipay, you can entice Chinese travellers who love to spend their money for their comfort and convenience, attract them to your place of business and get this money from them. Picture having tons of Chinese explorers always coming to your store for relaxation because you have a good means of payment.
They can use their gadgets to make transactions without having to carry their usual cards which can sometimes be uncomfortable moving it around. This will definitely increase your revenue and also make your store well known to a lot of foreigners. With Alipay in this region investors from numerous countries can easily purchase goods online and have it delivered to their home country.
If you’re a merchant in the USA, Canada and Brazil, here is an opportunity for you to partner with Alipay in order to boost your business and make it known to a lot of customers both in your region and worldwide. The presence of Alipay in this zone has contributed to the economic progress of the region thereby increasing the use online payments.
Alipay has teamed up with merchants in Australia and New Zeeland which has led to a reliable payment option for Chinese guests and also increased sales for the merchants. Let’s take a look at Mr Shan, a retail merchant in Sydney, Australia, who sells different Chinese dishes. With the increase in the number of Chinese students and quests always visiting Sydney, Mr Shan realized that he has to make good use of the advantage to boost his business. But he noticed that he kept losing a lot of potential customers due payment difficulties; they liked using Alipay for transactions.
But Mr Shan is yet to adopt the use of Alipay services. He later made up his mind to accept the use of Alipay in his business. Guess what happened, this little change of heart skyrocketed his business by attracting foreigners who prefers making payment through Alipay. The result was obvious which made Mr Shan happy and in turn satisfy his customers. Mr Shan has established a strong market presence and he has also gotten ahead of his competitors. Why not be like Mr Shan and adopt this wonderful platform and watch your business blossom within a short time.
With Asia being the widest continent and home for many countries like: China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and India. These areas are well- known for its warm and beautify environment, from the great mountains to the evergreen rainforest, bubbly cities and distinct traditions. On the other hand, China being the largest manufacturing and fastest growing global market in the world, with Alipay customers surpassing 1 billion users. All these features tend to attract merchants worldwide and also reduce cash-based transactions.
Is Alipay Supported in the US?
Alipay is not state specific in the US, it depends on individual merchant acceptance. You will find Alipay acceptance in areas frequented by Chinese tourists. Businesses in areas with high Chinese tourism often accept Alipay transactions; this helps to improve tourist satisfaction, needs and enhance their travel experience.
How to know where Alipay is accepted? look for Alipay’s logo at the checkout; it is often seen at the payment counter or at the sales point. You can also verify from the merchants before visiting the store. You can use Alipay app to locate close by Alipay accepting merchants.
Alipay’s Alternative Platform
Choose the best alternatives based on your needs and personal preferences.
For US, UK and Germany residents, this platform is at your doorstep. For some that don’t like going to the mall or physical stores to purchase items, you can live a stress-free life with Pay pal services. Shop online and receive money in any part of the world with this platform.
Apple Pay is in many countries like: Canada, Sweden, France and more. You can get some percentage of the money you spent on buying items credited back to your account when you shop with your Apple gadgets, with no fee attached to it.
Japan, Singapore, US, Canada, UK and other countries that are beginning to adopt the use of Stripe services; this platform is for you. As a small business owner, seeking to expand your business to reach more customers and make more gain; make Stripe your number one payment platform and watch your business improve massively.
Payoneer is mostly used by the US, Israel and India. As a remote worker, you can easily get paid by your clients globally through this platform. Small start-ups and medium sized businesses do benefit from this service.
WeChat is the most sort-after in China, Malaysia, India, Russia, Japan and South Korea. It is extensively utilized in China for connecting businesses all over the world.
UnionPay has variety of payment method and it’s mostly used in China.
Netherlands, US, UK, France, Germany and some Asian countries uses Adyen. With this service, you can make easy and stress-free payment. As a merchants, you can offer your customers various means of payment as its suites their needs.
Conclusion
Alipay’s digital services has redefine payment and daily life in China and around the world. It is an amazing app that offers an extensive service that is more than just payments. Alipay performs single transactions, payment of bills, investment options, trip reservations and lots more. It is simple and easy to use.
Alipay is a must have app for merchants seeking to reach Chinese customers globally; they can rely on this platform as a key partner. Alipay is one of the first companies to introduce mobile payment; it is reliable and safe.
Alipay is straightforward, which makes it easy for anyone to use. The platform is one of the best online services in the digital market with a tight security feature. It protects data, information and transactions.
Alipay is growing its presence and services beyond China. It has contributed to the expansion and development of e-commerce and in the payment markets. Alipay has actually continued to upgrade its services to satisfy the requirements of its users.